Fate of a Free Man
by Zatrion
Summary: Taking Place after Half Life 2, this story finds Gordon, Alyx, and Barney going up against our favorite acid bleeding bugs! Expect action, romance, and Hudson! Expect the emergence of the Chief in later chapters. Will Update when possible.
1. Prologue: Awakening

**Zatrion presents**: A _Half-Life 2_/_Aliens_ Crossover

Fate of a Free Man

(This takes place just after the end of Half-Life 2, and in an alternate format. In this format, not only was Gordon taken by the G-Man, but so was Alyx Vance and Barney Calhoun. I also plan to make Gordon talk during this fic, as to provide actual interaction among the many people he encounters. As for the characters from _Aliens_, they will mostly remain the way they were in the movies, up until a certain point. What that point is, you may already know, but it will suffice to say that it will be pivotal.)

Prologue: Awakening

"Mr. Freeman, it is once again the time for you to do what you must." Out of the shadows steps the G-Man, walking up to a form lying down. Zooming in, we see that the man has a goatee and glasses, tending to make seem very uninteresting. What makes him different, however, is what he is wearing. While all other men are content with wearing jeans or a sweater, this man wears what appears to be armor, with a unique symbol on the chest. This man is Gordon Freeman, the One Free Man from City 17, and the hero from Black Mesa.

"I know you can hear me, Mr. Freeman, so I shall continue. My employers have found something that troubles them. They need you to…"

"No." Gordon speaks in a somber voice, showing that he has seen too much for one man to take. Sitting up, head in his hands, he continues speaking. "I'm sick of this. First, you blackmail me by threat of death to begin working for your 'employers', and then you threw me into a proverbial lion's den, and to top it all off, after I finished my 'job', you captured Alyx and Barney and held them hostage to insure that I continued to work for your 'employers'." Standing up, he looks the G-Man straight in the eye. "Well, tell them that they can give up using me as their pawn."

"Who said you were a pawn, Mr. Freeman? Of course we will set you free, but the situation must be taken care of. If you don't do it, perhaps they will." The G-Man turns around, looking out into the vast darkness. Within its vast depths, two doors of light appear on either side of him. Out of these doors appears two other G-Men, identical to the one in front of Gordon. While each one holds a metallic case in their right hand, their left hand is still within the light, as if holding something. After pulling, two other shapes emerge from the light. The one on the left is distinctly female, with short black hair, a belt that covers her hips, and a small electronic device. Out of the right is a man, somewhat overweight, but not too terribly pudgy, wearing baggy clothing.

"Let me go!" The woman tries to struggle away the man holding her when she sees him. "Gordon?"

Giving a signal to release them, the G-Man watches as both the woman and the pudgy man run towards Gordon. Smirking, he faces Gordon, once again. "So, Mr. Freeman, what shall it be? Will it be them or will it be you?"

"You slimeball!" Angry, the pudgy man runs towards the G-Man, his fist pulled back. The man lashes out with a punch, but the G-man catches it. "There's no way you could have stopped that!"

"Do not test my patience, Mr. Calhoun." Throwing aside Barney's arm, he smacks him with his metal briefcase. Barney is sent flying, landing on his side in front of Gordon.

"Damn it, leave him alone!" The woman kneels down to check on Barney.

"I'm fine, Alyx." Barney is getting up, sporting a massive bruise over his left eye. "No need to do anything stupid on my behalf. I'm the only one allowed to do that." He lets out a small chuckle, which gets Alyx chuckling herself, and Gordon smiling.

"If I may, Mr. Freeman, you still have to make a choice. Will you go out, or will they?" The G-Man looks at Gordon, waiting for the answer.

Gordon stands up, and walks towards the G-Man. Stopping in front of him, he cocks his head to the right, grabs the G-Man by the shirt, and whispers into the ear of the G-Man in such a low voice so that Alyx and Barney can't hear. "Once this job is done, I am going to kill you with my bare hands."

Without moving his lips, the G-Man speaks. "I look forward to it, Mr. Freeman." Pulling away from Gordon, he straightens his tie. "I suggest you grab what you must, since where you are going weapons are scarce." Another door of light appears behind Gordon. "Go through the door behind you to get any equipment that you may need, and I suggest that you make haste." Seeing Gordon pass into the door, the G-Man turns his attention to the other two G-Men. "Leave us." With these words, the other G-Men leave, and the light doors vanish with them.

"What do you want with us?" Alyx turns towards the G-Man, placing herself in front of Barney.

"Ms. Vance, we mean you no harm. We merely needed you to… convince Mr. Freeman to do his job."

"What do you mean, 'His job'? Considering that he vanished off the face of the planet for over 20 years, and suddenly reappearing, without aging, I must wager that your 'employers' must be pretty powerful beings. If this is so, why him? Why Gordon? Are your 'employers' too cowardly to do their own dirty work?"

"You tread a fine line with forces that you do not comprehend, Ms. Vance. You will learn about my employers in due time. Until then, I suggest that you two get ready."

"Ready for what?" Barney stands up, a little woozy from the briefcase shot.

"You two are to help Mr. Freeman on his assignment. While he may be a capable warrior, the odds in this endeavor are beyond even his limits. With you two however, I can assure that he, and you two, will return from this."

"And if we don't?" Barney once again steps up to the G-Man's face.

Undaunted, the G-Man continues. "If you do not assist Mr. Freeman, he would most likely die. If that is not enough of a motivation, this will most likely do." Behind him, a portal of light open. Unlike the previous ones, this one is not large enough to walk through. Walking up to it, Alyx and Barney see 2 G-Men holding two elderly men by the throat, one black and one white.

"Dad!" Alyx cries out. Her focus is on the elderly Negro.

"Doc!" Barney looks at the frail white scientist. "Let me guess, help Gordon, or else have the deaths of Dr. Kleiner and Eli on our conscious."

"Correct, Mr. Calhoun." The G-Man nods his head, with a smirk on his face. He knew very well that the employers will is always done, no matter the outcome or consequences.

Looking away from the portal, Alyx faces the G-Man. "Alright, we'll help Gordon. But so help me, if you or any others like you attack them, I will kill you with my bare hands." She notices that he is smirking. "What's so funny?"

"Mr. Freeman said the exact same thing just before he left. Whether you realize it or not, Ms. Vance, you two are so similar." Behind them appears a light door. "The door behind you contains everything that you will need for this mission. Take what you can, and do hurry. My employers are on a tight schedule."

"Come on, Barn." Alyx looks at the former Black Mesa security guard.

"Let's hope that this 'mission' isn't too severe. I was hoping to at least get some hot coffee after what happened at City 17."

"Grow up." Turning around, they enter the door. It soon vanishes, leaving the G-Man alone in the dark.

"I love my job." Smirking, he turns and walks off into the darkness.

I know that any semblance of Aliens never showed up here, but you must realize that I had to set up a backstory before the action begins. Despite them not showing up, there are references to two other game series within the prologue. Mention them in your reviews and receive my preferred choice of accomplishment: Digital Gold Stars!

REVIEW, AND REJOICE!


	2. 1: Prep

**Zatrion Presents**: A _Half-Life 2/Aliens_ Crossover

Fate of a Free Man

(I wish to thank earthrise for the review provided. For that review, you shall receive my gratitude. As for how the story began, I can see parallels between the two stories (Ordinary person in the middle of scary ET action, fighting for survival.) However, there is something that stuck in my mind. After the incident in the test chamber (In the original Half-Life), one of the scientists says something along the lines of wanting to study one of the aliens that you killed. I assume that you can draw your own conclusions.)

Chapter 1: Prep

"Man, look at all this hardware. These employers must have enough to obliterate a planet!" Barney is in awe of all the weapons that lie in front of him. If this were in another universe, the scene before his eyes would show a striking similarity to the Construct Armory scene from the first Matrix movie.

"Less gawking and more walking, Barn." Looking at the weapon rack to her left, Alyx notices something familiar; it's her custom pistol. Pulling it out from the rack, she inspects it. Seeing that is has never been used, she decides to holster it. Looking around, she finds an SMG in mint condition. Grabbing a shoulder strap, she clips it onto the SMG for easy access. Continuing on down the line, she finds a SPAS-12 shotgun, never used. Grabbing another shoulder strap, she clips it onto the shotgun. "No sign of deterioration, no GSR, nothing. None of these weapons have ever been used."

"I know. It's just creepy. Even weapons from the Combine show wear and tear, but these ones show no such characteristics." He grabs one the Overwatch Pulse Rifles.

"Aren't you gonna grab a shoulder strap for that?" Alyx looks at him, with a bemused but serious expression on her face.

"Straps could become a liability down the line, so I don't even bother with them." Looking down the line, he find something reminiscent of Black Mesa; a Glock 17 9mm handgun. He picks it up, grabs a hip holster, and places the gun inside of it. "All these weapons could be something similar to a walk down Memory Lane."

"Really? What makes you say that?"

"Just look around, Alyx. I know very little in the way of weapons, but the ones that I do know are here, including any that I had in City 17 or Black Mesa." Continuing on down, he finds an MP5. "Seeing these MP5s bring back some bad memories, Alyx. Back when the Government wanted to get rid of any survivors from the Incident, they would send in Paramilitary guys equipped with SPAS 12s and MP5s. I was lucky enough to get out by the skin of my teeth. Unfortunately, that's how your dad lost his leg, and we also lost countless other scientists because the government didn't want any leaked information." His head is faced down, with a crestfallen look.

Alyx looks at Barney with sympathy. She never knew the full extent of what happened at Black Mesa. Whenever she asked her father about it, he would try and steer clear of the subject. It wasn't until just before Gordon's arrival that he began to tell her what he knew. Although he was there, he never really dealt with the problems like Gordon or Barney. Turning away from him, she lets out a small "I'm sorry." She turns her head back to see Barney grabbing an MP5 and loading it. "I'd think you stay away from them." Her eyes are pointing to the MP5 in his hands.

"Well, we have to face our demons sometime. It might as well be today." Barney looks back at her. He watched her grow up from a small rambunctious tyke to a beautiful, intelligent young woman. _Gordon's one lucky man, _Barney thinks. Shaking his head, he turns around. Looking underneath the weapons rack, he finds cases filled with ammunition. "Stock up on ammo, Alyx. We don't know how long this mission is going to take, or the amount of enemies, or even if the enemies use weapons."

"Got it." To see him like this, this really concerned her. When growing up, he always played the part of the funny surrogate uncle. He was only very serious when under extreme pressure, and that only happened once; when her father was captured by the Combine. However, she realizes that he is right, and grabs all the ammo that she can carry, including grenades. Looking back, she sees Barney doing the same. "How are we supposed to carry all this?"

"Try using the duffel bags." Turning around, they find the G-Man standing there, his right hand pointing to above the weapon racks. "Don't worry; my employers have more than enough. And I would also suggest taking multiple weapons of the same type."

Barney looks up and sees the duffel bags that the G-Man mentions. "Why do you say that?"

The G-Man continues. "You are going to encounter other people who will need these weapons. I suggest that you take al least twelve more weapons, 2 for six people, with ammunition, to insure that these people stay alive. There are others, but they are expendable."

"No one's expendable!" Alyx is now pointing the pistol at the G-Man. "How many are there, besides those six?"

"I will explain this when you reach Mr. Freeman. Once again, I suggest you make haste." With those words, the G-Man walks ahead, disappearing into a light door.

"Damn, we almost forgot about Gordon!" Turning around, Barney grabs some duffel bags and fills them up with weapons.

Almost simultaneously, Alyx grabs some more duffel bags. "What weapons are you grabbing?"

"6 of those 9mm's from City 17, 3 SMGs, and 3 Overwatch Pulse Rifles."

"Double that, Barney, and add 6 shotguns, too." Alyx then proceeds to fill the bags with dozens of clips for the mentioned weapons.

"Won't that be overkill, Alyx?"

"Trust me."

**1111**

Let's skip by those two for a while and focus once again on Gordon Freeman. He is once again in a black room, holding 4 duffel bags.

"So, I see that you got everything that you needed, Mr. Freeman." The G-Man walks in from a light door behind Gordon.

"More or less. You mind telling me what this is about." Gordon's look is one of a man who is very unamused.

"It shall be revealed in due time, Mr. Freeman. Until then, we have to wait for your companions."

"Companions? What are you…?" Gordon looks at the G-Man with a look of curiosity. Soon that look fades to one of anger. "Damn it, leave them out of this!"

"You have no choice, Mr. Freeman. They chose to come with you to insure your survival." The G-Man couldn't really lie, although he can really screw with the truth, such as leaving out important things, or twisting the words he uses.

"More like threatened some people." Barney and Alyx walk out of the light door, carrying 8 duffel bags between them.

"I see that you got everything that you needed, and more. It seems that I underestimated your tenacity." The G-Man has a small smirk on his face. "However, you can't save them all."

"We'll do our damnedest to see that they do survive. All of them." Alyx looks at Gordon, seeing his anger. "Gordon, don't lose your cool. We're in this for the long haul." She sees that he drops his shoulders, showing that he can't win.

"This is most humorous, Mr. Freeman. You are more than capable of talking to me, but when you are around others, you seem to become mute. It is quite perplexing. I'm curious, why don't you speak to them."

Gordon looks into the G-Man's face. Sighing, he finally speaks. "It's true I don't usually speak, but I do so with good meaning."

"What would that meaning be, Mr. Freeman? I am rather curious."

"I follow an old human axiom; Actions speak louder than words!" Pulling out his crowbar, he swings it at the G-Man's case, knocking it out of his hands. He then flips it over and jams the straight end into the G-Man's left eye.

"Was that really necessary?" The G-Man asks this, oblivious to the crowbar poking out of his ocular orifice. "I realize that you are angry at me, but now is not the time to vent your anger. Use this anger during your mission." Pulling out the crowbar, he hands it back to Gordon. It looks as if he wasn't even touched

"So are you going to tell us about the mission, or are you going to lead us into the dark?" Alyx is getting very impatient, shown by minor tapping of her right foot. By this time, the duffel bags from both Gordon and herself are on the floor.

"Ah, yes. This mission is essentially a rescue operation, coupled with a seek and destroy mission."

"Savior and Slaughter type, huh?" Barney finally speaks up after entering the room.

"Yes, Mr. Calhoun. A 'Savior and Slaughter', as you put it. It seems that some time ago, a small terraforming colony on another planet lost contact with the outside. A squad of Marines are en route to this planet to reestablish contact."

"Sounds like we aren't needed, then. The marines can do the rescuing, and clean up any problems they can tackle." He drops the duffel bags with a loud CLUNK and crosses his arms.

"Who said you are rescuing colonists? All but one are dead."

"So you're saying we have to rescue the marines? HAH! Who knew that you had a humorous side?"

"I don't, Mr. Calhoun. These Marines know what they are up against, but only through data from another source. They have never encountered the creatures living there, save for one of the non-military personnel."

"Creatures? Why do I get the feeling this will be Black Mesa all over again?"

"Not now, Barney, not now." Gordon looks intently at the G-Man. "Please, continue."

"Thank you, Mr. Freeman. These creatures have been dubbed 'xenomorphs' and have the potential of being a biological weapon. Another of the non-military personnel is a representative of a company with a keen interest in the creatures. However, trying to bring back one could be disastrous due to the quarantine surrounding Earth. If you need any more information, please watch this disc. You will leave in 9 hours." He hands the disc over to Gordon

"What is it?" Alyx walks up to Gordon, looking at the disc.

"This disc contains a movie, if you will, of events that are to occur. By observing what transpires, you can prevent what is to happen." The G-Man turns around to leave.

"But won't messing with what's already happened change the future?" Barney grabs the duffel bags and walks towards Alyx and Gordon.

"That is a chance that my employers are willing to take." Another door of light opens, and the G-Man walks through it, to wherever he comes from.

"So, are we going to watch it, or sit with our thumbs up our asses?" Barney drops the 4 duffel bags he carries next to the other eight.

"Might as well watch it, Gordon." Alyx puts in her 2 cents worth.

Sighing, Gordon nods his head.

"Come on Gordon, we know you can talk, so why don't you?" Alyx puts her hand on Gordon's shoulder. She feels him shudder, but ignores it.

"I'm not what you would call a 'people person', Alyx. I was an outcast in school, at home, even at Black Mesa. The only person that knew some semblance of who I really was is Barney." He turns to her and looks into her hazel eyes. "I just don't belong anywhere."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but a lot of people respect, even idolize you."

"They idolize my actions, not who I really am. Let's say Barney was the one who was in the test chamber that day. They wouldn't know who he really was, just what he did that made him great."

"Hell, I wouldn't mind if that happened. I'd even prefer it over them knowing who I really was."

"Barney, you're not helping, so SHUT UP!" By this time, Gordon has lost all semblance of patience.

"Gordon, this isn't the time…"

"No Alyx, this is the perfect time. You know, after Black Mesa, I was completely deprived of all my senses and memories. Do you know what it's like to not know where you are, or who you even were for years. YEARS! I've been a nice guy for far too long. Maybe it's time to get a little dirty." With that, he throws Alyx's hand off his shoulder and walks over to Barney.

"Gordon, calm down. There's no need to… UUUF!" Barney is punched in his stomach. _Damn, he's stronger than I thought!_

Not finished, Gordon grabs Barney by the hair and head butts him, drawing blood. Ignoring the pain in his forehead, he kicks Barney in the groin

With a high pitched squeal, Barney drops down to his knees. With tears in his own eyes and blood flowing down his face, Barney looks up into the eyes of his friend. Gone are the eyes of an intelligent warrior. Instead he only sees the eyes of a feral beast.

"Gordon, stop! Please!" Alyx walks up to him, placing a hand on his right shoulder.

Gordon, in a blind rage, knocks the hand off, turns around, and backhands Alyx. He puts so much force, behind it, she is sent flying back for feet.

"Alyx!" Barney stands up, although weakly. Shaking loose any cobwebs in his head, he reaches in one of the duffel bags and pulls out a stun stick. "Hey, Gordon!"

Gordon turns his head to see Barney pull back the stun stick. Realizing what it is, he snarls and bats the offending weapon away. He then proceeds to choke Barney with both of his hands.

Alyx gets to her knees, holding the back of her head. Seeing Barney being strangled by Gordon, she picks up the discarded stun stick, sneaks up behind Gordon, and hits him in the base of the neck. Activating its shock ability, she renders Gordon unconscious. Still holding on to the weapon, she checks on Barney. "Are you okay?"

"No problem. I get my ass beat every day. This is minor at most." He says this with a hoarse voice, while massaging this throat. "Who knew he could hit so hard?"

"We should get that wound bandaged up, before any infection decides to creep in." Alyx turns and grabs a medical kit from one of the duffel bags. "You know, next time you attack someone, don't call out to them. It makes you an obvious target."

"I'll keep that in mind." Barney goes past Gordon's prone body and picks up the disk. "We should watch this… Wait a minute!"

"What?"

"I'm looking around here, and I don't see anything to place it in. The more I think about it, the more I begin to believe this is a joke!"

The light door from which the G-Man walked out of lights up, and the G-Man arrives once again. "I told you before, Mr. Calhoun, I do not joke. May I enquire as to what happened while I was away?"

"Plain and simple, Gordon went berserk and beat my ass! Considering what he told us about this place, though, I don't blame him. Anyway, how are we supposed to watch this if there is no TV or DVD player around?" By this time, Barney sat down and was being treated.

"My apologies. I forgot about that. Despite how I act, I am far from perfect." To his side, a pillar of light appears, when the pillar vanishes, there sits a massive 72" Plasma TV, a surround sound stereo system, a high-grade DVD player, and a portable power supply. "This should more than suffice. Also, before you leave, I have something to give to you." With that, the G-Man leaves again.

"Let me pop it in, Barn. You need to relax." Alyx takes the disk and walks over to the entertainment center. Before putting the disk in, she reads the title. "_Aliens_, huh? Let's hope it's not very cheesy." She places the disk in, goes back to Barney, sits down, and watches the movie.

I know you want some Aliens action, but be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know. As for my Digital Gold Star challenge, it is still in effect.

Expect me to use other outside sources as parts for this story, including a Mjolnir Armor-wearing badass!

**POLL TIME!**

String with this chapter, I will open a poll on a subject. The subject will change every two chapters. The first poll is as follows:

Which is better: Facehugger of Headcrab?

I will keep inventory and tally the votes. Tune in at Chapter 3 for the results!

**REVIEW, AND REJOICE!**


	3. 2: Drop

**Zatrion Presents**: A _Half-Life 2_/_Aliens_ Crossover

Fate of a Free Man

(Before I begin, I wish to thank earthrise for becoming my editor. For that, you earn my eternal gratitude. Besides, earthrise was the only who really reviewed this story with consistency. Once again, kudos to you.)

I forgot this in my previous 2 chapters, but here it is: The Disclaimer! The Half-Life 2 product was created and owned by Valve, while the Alien series is the property of 20th Century Fox.

Chapter 2: Drop

"Uhhh…" Gordon finally wakes back up after his temporary lapse of sanity. Holding his throbbing head, he sits himself back up.

"Gordon?" He turns to see Alyx and Barney standing up. He notices that Barney is holding a stun stick that is used by the Combine.

"Put that away, Barney." Using one of his hands, he gets himself back on his feet, nearly stumbling. "What the hell happened?"

"Well…" Barney begins to speak.

"Nothing happened, Gordon. Just take it easy." Alyx cuts him off from revealing the truth.

"Please don't lie to me, Alyx. Tell me what happened, and be honest."

"You mean you don't remember? What the hell is wrong with you?" Barney is still holding on to the stun stick, as if he was expecting an attack.

"All I remember is explaining what I felt when it came to how people see me. After that, it was all blank." He begins to massage him temples with one hand. "Please, tell me what happened." He is now massaging his neck. _Damn, it feels like I went 5 rounds with a pack of houndeyes._

"I don't think that's a good idea, Alyx. We could have a repeat of what happened." Barney gestures towards Gordon with a wide sweeping motion.

"What is going on, Barney? I think I deserve an answer. If I did something, tell me."

"Perhaps he should know, Barney." Alyx walks towards Gordon while speaking. "I know things haven't been the best, and lying to him wasn't the best choice. But ignoring what happened is just as bad, maybe even worse." Once she finishes her sermon, she proceeds to tell Gordon what happened.

"I can't believe that I did that." In disbelief, Gordon drops to his knees and begins to sob. "Oh, God! Why? Why them, and why me?"

Alyx then proceeds to kneel next to him and hold him. "It's okay, Gordon. This wasn't your fault." She is shocked that he pushes her away.

"No! It's not alright! I hurt you and I hurt Barney. I'm no better, no, I'm worse than the Combine." He then goes back into his silent stupor.

"Gordon?" Alyx shakes him. "Gordon?" She puts her hand underneath his head and tilts it up towards her face. When she sees his eyes, she sees the eyes of a broken man.

"I trust that you are ready for the mission." Emerging from a door of light is the G-Man.

"Man, you picked the wrong time to enter, buddy." Barney now looks at the G-Man, the venom in his eyes apparent.

Ignoring the look he is getting from Barney, the G-Man speaks again. "Did the information I gave you prove to be useful?"

"Alyx and I watched the movie. Perhaps we should go through it again, for Gordon's sake." Barney is now looking at Alyx and Gordon.

"I'm afraid there is no more time to waste. The employers feel that more than ample time has passed in order for you to learn what is needed. Perhaps you can explain to Mr. Freeman what the creatures are."

"I don't think that's possible. I don't really know what they are, and trying to explain it to him is like him trying to teach me the basic theories of Quantum Physics."

"Spare me your thoughts, Mr. Calhoun. Ms. Vance should be more than capable of relaying the information. Besides, you have to become acquainted to this." He opens the briefcase and pulls out a blocky mechanical device. "I trust that you know what this is, Mr. Calhoun."

"Yeah, it's a motion tracker. This will most likely save our hides." Barney activates the motion tracker and sees how it functions. Panning it around, he can get a signal on Gordon and Alyx, but not on the G-Man. "Funny, this thing doesn't seem to detect you." He sees that the G-Man is heading towards Gordon, ignoring his previous statement.

"Mr. Freeman, I can never realize what sort of conflict resides within you, but this is not the time for such actions. You have a mission to accomplish." He notices the crowbar on the ground and picks it up. He opens up the briefcase and pulls out a container of some liquid. He places the crowbar in the container. Pulling it out after a minute, he holds it in front of Gordon. "The concoction I placed your weapon in will render it absolutely immune to anything, from acid to a nuclear attack."

Gordon looks up and sees the crowbar in front of him. He grabs it with an abrupt action. He uses his crowbar to push himself to his feet. During all this, he keeps his eyes focused on the G-Man.

"Now, I suggest that you grab your bags. It is time that you leave." He turns and begins to leave.

"You never told us who we were to save. And just how are we to get there?" Alyx is standing, her arms crossed.

Looking back, the G-Man replies. "Ah, yes. I shall give you a list of the ones we must see survive." He walks over to Alyx and pulls out a paper from his briefcase. "A portal will take you there. For now, I must leave." Turning back, he passes through the door of light.

"I thought that we had another 6 hours. What gives?" Barney heads over to the bags and begins to pick them up.

"I guess that the 'employers' are too impatient, or we just lost track of time." Alyx also goes to the bags and begins to grab them. "Come on Gordon, grab your things."

With a somber face, Gordon walks over and picks up what he grabbed back at the Armory. Turning around, he sees the portal appear. Without any hesitation, he walks through. With last look around, Alyx enters as well. A disembodied meow is heard just as Barney is about to step through. Barney shakes his head. "That damn cat still haunts me!" He glances suspiciously at the portal before finally stepping through.

**1111**

When Barney exits the portal, he is bombarded with rain. "Man, why didn't I pack an umbrella?" Shaking his head again, he sees Alyx looking skyward. Following her example, he also looks up. "Well, at least we won't need a shower when we get back."

"We should hide. The dropship's coming in." Alyx is now pointing to the sky.

"Shouldn't we be in the open? You know, so we can establish contact?"

"That could work, but what if they open fire on us? We can't attack them."

"Do you really think that they would do something like that, Alyx? I mean, they may be Marines, but they have to have some common sense"

"Barney, these are people who kill others for a living."

"… Good point, Alyx. Come on Gordon, we gotta get outta sight."

Nodding, Gordon heads behind the wheeled loader. Taking his cue, Alyx and Barney also head behind the gigantic yellow vehicle. Placing his finger against his lips, he cues that they remain silent. Looking out from behind the loader, Gordon sees the marines arrive. Composed of both men and women, they range from black, white, or in one case, Hispanic. Securing the visible parts of the open area, they head to the northern gate.

The black man in that squad walks up to the panel, opens it, and presses a button. "Hudson, run a bypass." The man behind him pulls out a small device and pulls down the panel. By this time, the second squad arrives in a flanking position. It seems like they will be completely overlooked.

"Well, what do we have here?" Looking up, Gordon finds himself looking down the barrel of a rifle.

**1111**

"Well, it seems that things are not going according to plan." He sees that Gordon, Alyx, and Barney have been apprehended. "Perhaps some assistance is required." He pulls a cell phone out from the briefcase. "Yes, I need to locate the Chief."

**1111**

I know that this chapter seems to be a bit short, but at least the marines arrived.

The poll is still open, for those who care, as are the hidden video game references.

As for the mention of the Chief, he shall make an appearance in due time.

Now, here is my next challenge: I am looking for an artist to create something that has plagued me for some time. I am a huge fan of Half-Life (obviously) and Aliens/Predator (Another Obvious choice). I am also getting interested in Halo. I wish to see a picture that makes use of the Chief, Freeman, and a Predator. E-Mail it to me, or contact me if you have a Deviant Art account. I will make sure to acknowledge your skills.

REVIEW, AND REJOICE!


	4. 3: Recon

**Zatrion Presents**: A _Half-Life 2/Aliens_ Crossover

Fate of a Free Man

Aliens is property of 20th Century Fox, while Half-Life is credited as belonging to Valve.

Chapter 3: Recon

"Ah, hell." Barney sees that Gordon, one of his closest allies, is literally staring death down.

"Lieutenant, we got stragglers. 3, sir. 2 male, 1 female, all of them are holding weapons." The marine is speaking into the comlink on his helmet, to his superior.

"Hicks, what the hell's the holdup?" Alyx connects that voice to the authoritative figure speaking to that Hudson character.

"Found some stragglers, Sarge. I might need backup." Hicks yells out over the pouring rain.

"Dietrich, Frost, get over there." With that call, another black man and a woman show up, weapons aimed at Alyx and Barney.

"Alright, now stand up, slowly." Hicks still has his weapon trained on Gordon. "That goes for all of you." They all stand. "Now drop the weapons."

"Hold on there, buddy. If you think, for one second…" Barney isn't able to finish his sentence, due to the round whizzing past his head.

"That was a warning shot. Now, drop the shit." The barrel of the black man's weapon is smoking. Heeding his cue, two of them drop their weapons, and one drops everything but one thing: a crowbar. "Hey man, I told you to drop the shit, so drop it."

"Frost, that's enough. If he feels like holding it, let him." Hicks' speech was directed to the black man next to him. Begrudgingly, Frost lowers the weapon.

"Hicks, don't tell me that you wasted a round to prove a point." The Sarge is obviously pissed at the sound of gunfire.

"Ask Frost, Sarge."

"Get his ass over here, and secure those stragglers in the APC."

"You heard the man, Frost. Dietrich, grab those bags and bring them to the APC as well." His eyes are now focused on the female marine.

"No problem." She proceeds to grab the duffels. "Damn, these weigh a ton. What sort of things are in here?"

"We'll know that when they're secured. Now, I hope you three know the drill."

Without incident, they place their hands behind their heads.

**1111**

Within that strange realm between dimensions, the G-Man watches all that has transpired. "Clearly we underestimated what would occur."

All around the G-Man are the sounds of faint whispers, without anyone actually whispering.

"Perhaps we should place in Sheppard." The G-Man stands there, speaking into the darkness.

The whispers continue unabated, growing louder with each passing moment.

"He may be, but we need…"

The whispers continue to grow in volume, and soon the sound is akin to that of a raging waterfall.

"I have tried contacting him, but to no avail. Perhaps they should be pulled…"

The raging whispers continue to grow, and soon their voices tremble the very ground on which the G-Man stands.

"…I will try contacting him again. Remember, humans are quite unpredictable creatures, so having him assist might not bear fruit."

The rumble returns with a greater ferocity.

"By any means necessary? Very well. There will still be a chance he will refuse to cooperate. If that were to occur, then what?"

Soon, the rumble dissipates, returning to the faint whispers of the past. After some time, the whispers reach a crescendo like the sound of a raging waterfall.

"I can understand your reasoning, but try to understand mine. Mr. Freeman is far too valuable to be left behind. You said yourself that he has limitless potential. To lose one with so much could prove to be catastrophic to our cause."

The raging waterfall once again cause the ground to tremble. Its power continues to grow, eventually creating splits within the ground and into the vast depths of the realm.

All the while, the G-Man never moves.

Soon, the sound disappears altogether, and in its place are many figures. Some wear cloaks of the deepest black, while other are clothed in robes of pure white. Out of these walk two entities in particular. One is clad in the deepest crimson armor, embedded with various bones, and carries a pitch black lance dripping with blood. The other is also clad in armor, save that his is made of pure silver and gold, and encrusted with various precious stones. He carries two items. One of these items is a longsword, shining as bright as the one wielding it. The other item is a kite shield, pure white, save for a emblem which is a deep crimson color, like the blood adorning his companion's lance.

The silver armored one steps to the G-Man and proclaims, "Your point has merit. We do not wish for the death of the Free Man." His voice is clear, despite wearing a helmet which obscures his facial features.

The crimson knight cries out, "Yet, if the Free Man were to perish, we could not be hampered. Am I correct?" Much like the silver knight, his entire head is covered, yet the voice is not muffled.

"That may be, but his potential…" The G-Man begins, but the crimson knight interrupts.

"His potential is meaningless. I will refuse to let an undeserving upstart destroy what we have held together for so long."

"You fear the Free Man? How… Human of you." The silver knight is now looking directly into the face of the crimson knight.

"He is far too chaotic be one of us. He could bring about the utter annihilation of all that we have done." His grip upon the lance tightens, almost threatening to snap the weapon in two.

"Go, do what you must to ensure the survival of the Free Man. We shall release Sheppard if there is no other choice." The words of the silver knight are directed to the G-Man.

"As you wish." He turns and walks through a light door.

**1111**

"Once again, what is your name?" Gorman is in the face of Barney.

"Calhoun, Barney, Sergeant of Civil Protection, code BN38416."

"I've told you, there is no such thing as "Civil Protection." And your code doesn't correspond with any part of the USCM, so, who are you really?"

"Are you deaf, stupid, or both? I am being absolutely honest with you. My name is Barney Calhoun, I am a sergeant under the Civil Protection Branch of the Combine, and my code is BN38416."

"Why, you…"

"That's enough, Gorman. Give them the benefit of the doubt." Ripley's eyes are focused on these three people. "Besides, shouldn't you keep in contact with the others?"

"Oh, shit!" Seeing his screw-up, he rushes back to his post. "Alright, Apone, what is your status?"

"We remained stationary outside when you left your post, sir."

"I can explain, Apone…" Gorman's index and middle fingers on his right hand are pressed against his earpiece.

"No need. We are packing back to the APC."

"Belay that, Apone. Continue inside the complex as planned."

"Not until we find out about the stragglers."

"Apone, I am giving you an order. Failure to acknowledge will be considered insubordination." Gorman face is stern, as if he were actually talking to the Sergeant face-to-face.

"Acknowledged, but ignored. Returning to APC. Alright team, rendezvous back at the APC."

"Dammit, Apone, I have you court-marshaled when we get back."

"Looks like you lost control, Gorman." Burke walks up next to him, observing the screens.

"Christ, it's Basic all over again." He covers his eyes with one hand, and slumps back in his seat. "But maybe Apone has a point. Perhaps if these three see how many there are of us, they might crack."

**1111**

"Well Sarge, what's the verdict?" Hudson looks back at his superior, waiting a response, same as the others.

"I stand by my initial choice: We go back to the APC. We need all the information we can get, and those three might have the answers." Apone looks over his squad.

"And if they don't?" Vasquez has got her smartgun hoisted up. _Safety among comrades_, she thinks.

"We can't waste them, if that's your meaning Vasquez. Unless they provoke us, they are not to be harmed."

"Weren't they holding weapons, Hicks?" Vasquez calls out to the Corporal.

"Yeah, but followed orders on dropping them."

"Only after having a round whiz past their heads, according to Frost." Apone put in what he heard.

"Frost wanted to prove a point, sir. They were scared senseless, and would have claimed self-defense for attacking us."

"What about the guy with the glasses? He was still holding onto that crowbar like it was a security blanket when he was put in the APC." Dietrich added.

"He doesn't seem to be the kind of person who would attack without a reason."

"That round would seem like a hell of a reason, Hicks."

"Alright team, we head back and learn what we can. If they attack, we do so in kind. Am I understood?" Apone yells out.

"Sir!" They all stand at attention. With a gesture from Apone, they return to the APC.

"God, I love the Corps." Apone pulls out his cigar and rushes back with his troops.

**1111**

Sorry about the delay. My finals are being a bitch, and it never seems to end.

I'm somewhat disappointed in the lack of results for my poll, so it shall remain open until the story's close. However, that doesn't mean I won't stop my other polls. These will also last until the end of the story.

POLL 2: Which Pulse Rifle do you prefer? The M41A, or the Overwatch standard?

On another note, no one has even cared to try out for my hidden phrases from my first chapter. It's sad, I know, but I won't stop it. This chapter also has one, but is found in the realm of movies. Here's a hint: It comes from another Cameron Classic.

Thanks for reading, and tune in for the next chapter.

REVIEW, AND REJOICE!


	5. 4: Intel

**Zatrion Presents**: _A Half-Life 2/Aliens Crossover_

Fate of A Free Man

Valve holds license over Half-Life, while the same holds true for 20th Century Fox and Aliens.

**Chapter 4: Intel pt. 1**

"So, Gorman, what did you get from our strags?" Apone is chomping on his cigar while speaking to the Lieutenant.

"Bullshit story from the bulky one. Glasses and the girl haven't spoken at all." Gorman is back at the helm, massaging his temples. _Why don't things go the way they're supposed to? Damn you, Murphy!_ "Bulky keeps saying his number is BN38416, and is connected with something called 'Civil Protection'. He also mentioned something called 'Combine". I called him on it, but he remains steady in his lie."

"Perhaps they're escaped mental patients."

"Then how the hell did they end up here? Acheron has no mental institution, and the last known space-based passenger vessel to pass by was over a year ago."

sigh "We still have to keep a close eye on them, or rather, you do." Apone's voice is hushed so that none of the other marines can hear him conversing with Gorman.

"ME?! Why am I stuck with the bullshit job, Apone?" Gorman's face is visibly red, showing that he is very pissed.

"If you got a better idea, say so. Besides, you ain't doing shit worth mentioning."

"Actually, I do." He turns around and heads toward Burke and Ripley.

"Figures." With that, Apone returns to his squad. "So, Dietrich, any luck on those duffels?"

"Negative, sir. There appears to be some kind of lock to it. Without the right code, there's no go. I tried to bypass it, but the hacker got slagged."

"Alright sweethearts, at ease." With that, the marines place their weapons back where they rightfully belong.

**1111**

_**Gordon**_

Gordon is looking around inside of this massive vehicle. _It seemed so much smaller when seen on the outside_. Shaking his head, he notices the one that found them is looking at him. Gordon gives him a look saying _you are such an asshole_. The marine notices it, but decides to ignore it. Disappointed in this reaction, he goes back to staring ahead.

Ahead of him are three people, two male and one female. One of the males is the one that interrogated Barney. _What a dumbass._ The other male is wearing a ridiculous outfit consisting of a flannel vest. The female is uneasy among them, he notices. He can also tell that she is uneasy about this entire situation, and not just Alyx, Barney, and himself. Lowering his head, he decides to think.

**1111**

_**Ripley**_

"You got to be kidding me, Gorman." Ripley is shaking her head in disbelief.

"I know this isn't part of the deal, Ripley, but bear with us." Gorman is trying to reassure her. "Being the closest thing to a civilian, you can interact with them easier than us."

"Forget it. I'm not a god damn babysitter." She turns her head and notices that the guy with glasses has his head down. The other man has his eyes closed, and is snoring, a small amount of drool falling off the right side of his mouth. The woman is looking at Dietrich trying to open the duffel bags. Sighing, Ripley turns back to Gorman. "I'll do it, so long as you don't pester me for reports."

"Done, and done." She can't help but notice the smirk on both Gorman and Burke's faces.

"Wipe those grins off. I doing it because I feel like it, not because you asked me to." She begins to shake her head. "Sometimes, you two are clueless."

**1111**

_**Gordon**_

Having thought, Gordon raises his head back up, noticing the woman from the three in front of him walking towards them. He would normally grasp his crowbar tighter, but doesn't in this instance. He feels that she isn't worth his aggression. He takes notice that she sits right across from them, her eyes like that of a hawk.

He turns his head and notices that Alyx is now looking at the woman. For some reason, he shudders involuntarily. _These two the way they are is like a volcano waiting to erupt. You don't want to be anywhere near it, but you can't help but watch._ Looking over on his other side is Barney, sleeping. _Typical._

Gordon nudges Barney. Barney turns away, whining, "Five more minutes, Mom." Nudging him again, Barney replies "I don't wanna go to school."

Sick of this, Gordon whaps Barney upside the head. Barney wakes up with a cry of "Damn Head Humper!" Suddenly, the entire vehicle goes quiet.

Blushing, Barney replies "Ignore that!" With that, the vehicle returned to its previous noisy state. Barney looks over to Gordon, asking "Why did you hit me, man? Couldn't you have just nudged me?" The look in Gordon's eyes makes Barney reply "Nevermind."

**1111**

_**Ripley**_

"So, you just gonna sit there, or are you going to interrogate us?" The woman's voice is dripping with contempt. _I guess that I don't blame you. I'd hate people associated with those who shot at you._

"I don't follow what they do. I'll tell you what we know, provided you can tell us why you are here."

"Sounds like you're following their procedure, lady." The woman's eyes are filled with as much contempt as her voice.

"Ellen."

"Excuse me?"

"My name. How about your name?"

"You think that bullshit's gonna work on me? I know better than that. You'll buddy up to us, and when we reveal what we know, we'll be deemed expendable. As far as I'm concerned, Ellen, take your friendship and…"

"Stop." Ripley notices that the man with the glasses is staring intently at the woman's face.

"Gordon, you know…" the woman begins to talk, but the man, called Gordon, cuts her off with an open palm in front of her face.

"They deserve to know what I know, at the very least." Gordon turns to Ripley, his eyes seemingly focused, but so far off.

"So, Gordon, was it? What exactly do you know?"

"We're here to help you."

**1111**

_**Gordon**_

"I'm pretty sure we can handle ourselves." Ripley says. Gordon can tell right away that she isn't too sure of her own statement.

"Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?" He notices that the marine that noticed them earlier is walking over to Barney. _Hicks was his name_, Gordon thinks.

"Touché. So I can guess that whatever's inside those duffel bags will help us."

"There is something else I need to say, but the guy from the Company must leave for that." Gordon looks away from Ripley and focuses on Burke.

"Well, he's not here at the moment. So tell me."

"Everyone but him must hear this."

"It's about trusting him, isn't it?" To this, Gordon shakes his head up and down. "Don't worry, I don't trust him."

"Smart policy. When we get inside, I'll continue."

"Fair enough. Hicks, what the hell are you doing?" Ripley is looking over to the aforementioned marine.

**1111**

"Getting ready to take a nap. This guy knew well enough to." He cocked his thumb back to Barney.

"Can that, Hicks. We're going back out to the gate. We're going in." Apone has his gear back on, as do most of the other marines.

"Roger that, Sarge." He grabs his helmet and rifle, and heads to the door.

"He seems too eager to please, doesn't he?" Gordon asks.

"I've only known him for less than 24 hours." Ripley replies. Looking up, she sees a small smirk on Gordon's face. "What?"

"Nothing." His smirk vanishes as fast as it came.

**1111**

"I realize that the situation is severe, sir, but we need him." The G-Man is conversing on his cell-phone. "Yes, I realize that they pose a great threat to humanity. I see…" Realizing that he could lose Gordon without assistance from him, he had no choice.

"What if I said that I could get some more allies against them? At least three, perhaps more. Yes they are adept at weapon use. They might even turn the tide. Very well. Hold him over in New Mombassa for me. I shall arrive shortly. Farewell."

Dialing another number, he places his cell phone next to his ear. "Yes, I have established contact with his superiors. The only way they could agree to it was if they had more soldiers. I had no choice. There still might be a chance that…" he pauses for a short period of time. "I understand. I will get the Chief." He then closes the phone and places it in his briefcase.

A door of light appears, and the G-Man steps through. On the other side is a metropolis in front of him. The sign to his right reads "NEW MOMBASSA".

**1111**

I know it was such a massive delay for this story. I had some massive writer's block, not to mention some heavy deadlines in reality. I hope you are willing to bear with me through this.

POLL!

This Chapter's poll will directly affect the story. I planted a seed of it in this chapter, so I must ask the question: Do you want to see Ripley and Alyx in a Catfight? Please, at least review for this poll. I need this poll to be reviewed so I can finish the story.

REVIEW, AND REJOICE!


End file.
